In Mortal Kombat 1, character progression focuses on rank-ups rather than leveling up armor. Through the Mastery Ranks system, players can gain XP for each fighter in the roster, unlocking various gear, costumes, and moves. However, with the introduction of new mechanics, some MK1 players may be unsure about the most effective methods to level up their characters and max out their mains quickly. Lucky for fans, this guide has all the answers.

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Mastery Rank Explained

In Mortal Kombat 1, the Mastery Rank is a character-exclusive perk tree. Like the Profile Rank, the Mastery Rank advances as players use specific characters. There are a total of 35 Master Ranks available for Kombatants and 15 for Kameos, with each rank unlocking a range of new moves, taunts, and Kosmetics.

How to Level Up Characters

In MK1, leveling up a character requires players to actively play as that specific Kombatant across various game modes. The process of ranking up is directly linked to earning experience points (XP), a crucial reward obtained from matches played in Story Mode, local multiplayer, or online fights.

Ranking up Kameos follows a more passive approach, as they naturally earn XP by accompanying a character. However, it's worth noting that involving them in fights can expedite their level-up process.

Fastest Ways to Level Up

To rank up faster, players will need to farm XP in the Invasion Mode. For that, they must max out their attack to guarantee Flawless victories and capitalize on Brutalities while equipping XP-boosting items such as the Not Junk Relic.

Invest Stat Points in Attack

Put all SPs into the Attack stats to get one-hit kills. This will grant extra experience points at the end of the match, speeding up the rank-up progress.

Get Flawless Victories

Each Flawless knock-out grants 705 extra XP. Capitalize on this bonus to level up a character faster. An ideal way to do so is by revisiting low-level Endurance matches after finishing the Invasion Mode.

Equip the ‘Not Junk’ Relic

Not Junk increases XP gain by 15%. Have it on before entering Invasion matches to maximize the gain.

End Matches with a Brutality

There is a 190 bonus XP for finishing the opponent with a Brutality. The Klassic Brutality is the player's best bet for this purpose, as it requires little to no combo experience and can be done quickly.

List of All Mastery Rank Rewards

The Mastery Rank rewards include Kosmetics, Brutalities, Fatalities, Taunts, Armor, Character Art, and Dragon Krystals. While the items in this perk tree are fighter-exclusive, the order in which they unlock is the same for all Kombatants.

Mortal Kombat 1 is available now for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.